This invention relates to a food colorant. More particularly, the invention relates to a yellow food colorant. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a yellow food colorant for oleomargarine.
Carotene and annatto are the coloring agents most commonly used to color oleomargarine at the present time in the United States. These colorants are used either alone or together and, while they are widely used, they cause certain off-color, particularly when concentrations are increased. For example, a typical commercial usage level of carotene is five milligrams (5 mg.) beta-carotene per pound of oleomargarine or 0.0011% by weight. Where the concentration is increased, the color becomes reddish. At a very high concentration of 0.11%, the color is orange-brown. A typical commercial level of annatto is 0.01%. At a high concentration of about 0.6%, the color is reddish brown.
Other yellow food colorants are known and have been used, both alone and in combination with other colorants, in oleomargarine. The oleo resin of turmeric, for example, has been used commercially in combination with annatto. Turmeric alone, at low concentration, produces a slight yellow color with a noticeable greenish cast and has not been used. It has been used commercially, however, in combination with annatto. At a base level of about 0.006%, the color is light yellow. At a high concentration of 0.6% the color is orange-brown.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that while the yellow colorants in common commercial use are suitable at the lower concentrations, at higher concentrations needed to deepen the yellow color, there is a tendency to produce an off-color, most notably an orange, red, or even brownish off-color.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a yellow food colorant. It is a further object to provide a yellow food colorant for oleomargarine. It is still a further object to provide a yellow food colorant which can be used in high concentration to produce deep yellow color in oleomargarine without producing an off-yellow color.